The First Signs of Love
by B. Alex Burke
Summary: The night Philippe died... Very emotional and all... Sweet. My first Princess Diaries story so, be gentle! :P


**Author's Note - This is my FIRST CJ Sotry. Woot:P haha... Anyhoo, It's the night Phillipe was killed and this is how I think she would have reacted. Please, leave your comments. They always make me sooo happy. hehe...And here we go!**

Joseph sighed as Shades informed him of the news. He walked at his normal pace to the queen's suite and saw Charolette walking from within. "Oh, Joseph. Don't disturb her. She's been ill all night." she said softly.

"Ill?" Joe's attention perked at this statement. "Is she alright?" he asked, always overly concerned for his monarch.

"I think so. She hasn't vomited in quite a while, so I think she'll be alright in the morning." Her normal smile dropped when she noticed the grave look upon his face. "Joe? What's wrong?"

The man in question sighed and looked down at his feet, then back up again. "Lette...Prince Phillipe...He was in a car accident and did not survive." he replied quietly. "That's why I've come. To tell her the news."

Charlette covered her mouth to supress her sobs as she nodded, tears flowing down her face as she left to tell the rest of the staff.

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Clarisse Renaldi sat on her sofa, drinking her tea, when a knock came from her door. "Come in." she caled softly. Joseph walked into the queen's suite, trying to look as jovyal as he could. "Your Majesty...Clarisse." he said softly. She instantly knew something was wrong the instant her name left his lips. "Joseph...What is it?" she whispered, feeling ill once again.

The man in question sighed and walked over to her, as she had stood when he came into the room. "Phillipe...He was on his way to see you and...There was an accident." he sputtered, trying to for the right words to tell the queen her beloved youngest son had died.

Clarisse, on the other hand, could taste the bile bubbling in the back of her throat and ran to the bathroom, Joseph quick to follow. She barely made it to the toilet when what was left in her stomach came back up and left her mouth. She continued to make gagging noises, although nothing came out, then stood like a true queen would and dabbed her mouth.

Joseph looked at her with the utmost compassion and sympathy. "Clarisse..." he began, but she cut him off as she began hitting her fists against him. "I told you to go and get him!" she screamed, tears falling from her eyes and splashing agaisnt his shirt. "This wouldn't have happened if you would have just - " A sob ripping from her throat stopped her as Joseph incased her in his arms.

"Shh...It's alright." he soothed, holding her close as she sobbed. "He wasn't in any pain, Clarisse. He went quickly and painlessly." The sight of his one love breaking down after hearing the news of the death of her son slowly tore his heart in two. He felt her start to give way beneath herself and swiftly caught her before she could hit the floor.

Carefully, Joseph lifted her into his arms and brought her over to her bed, gently placing her in the centre. He sat next to her and stroked her arm gently. "Joseph." she croaked, already hoarse from such violent sobbing. "Yes, Clarisse?" he whispered back. "Hold me."

That was all it took for the man in question to do what he had wanted to. He slowly, almost cauciously, slid down next to Clarisse and wrapped his arms around her, letting her sob once more against him. Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly, as if she were afraid to let go and face the reality of the world. In all actuallity, it was the utter truth.

Joe tightened his grip around her, one arm going diagonally up her back from where his elbow rested on her waist and the other wrapped around and up her back from her shoulder, his hand cupping the back of her head. He held her long into the night and into the day, her sobs not cesing the entire time. He was kept awake, not only by his need to comfort his monarch, but the pain in his heart as it twisted and tore at the sight of her pain.

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Charolette knocked on the Queen's suite door, hoping for a reply. All she heard were hoarse sobs coming from the woman's throat and whispers from her Head of Security. Smiling weakly, the blonde haired woman wrote a note on a post-it and stuck it to the door. It read...

_Do NOT, under any circumstances, enter this room. The Queen deserves her privacy at such a time in her life._

Mean while, Joseph tried his very best to get his friend, his queen, his love to stop sobbing before she injured herself. "Clarisse... Darling, you must listen to me." he demanded softly. She looked up, her sobs now just swift intakes of breath. "That a girl. Dear, you need to keep your voice in good condition. It's much to beautiful for it not to be in the finest condition." He cupped her face in his hands. "I'll get you some tea if you want."

Slowly, Clarisse nodded and curled up in a tight ball while Joe phoned for tea and extrememly soft cresants to be delivered to the Queen's suite as soon as possible. After placing the order, he walked back over to his queen and pulled her into his arms again. "I can't believe he's..." she began, Joesph's finger upon her lips silencing her. "Hush now. Let's think of the happy times." he whispered. "Birthdays, anniversaries...I know there have been good times for you with him. I've witnessed a lot of them myself."

Clarisse let out yet another throat-tearing sob and Joe quickly pulled her back into his arms. "Shh...It's ok." he whispered, beckoning the one who knocked on the door with a simply knock on the wall. Charolette walked in this the tea and cresants, setting it on the bed-side table and quickly covering her mouth with her hand. The sight she had been greeted with was one she would never forget. Quickly and quietly, she left the room, a sob of her own leaving her throat.

Once the door was closed, Charolette turned to go back to Her Majesty's office, but ran into something warm and solid. Shades gently caught her by the arms and smiled weakly at her as she tried to mumble her appologies and not let out a sob. He shook his head and simply pulled her into a hug. "It's alright, Charolette." he whispered, walking her down the half and back to the queen's office.

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The morning light shone through the windows and onto the bed when Clarisse finally awoke. She'd dozed off after getting something in her stomach. She looked to her left and gasped at the sight before her. Joseph had fallen asleep in the chair next to her bed, her hand incased in his. She smiled lightly, then grimaced at the sudden pain in her throat. Quietly, she stood and tried to pull her hand from her Head of Security's, but only enticed a groan to leave his frame. "Clarisse...Shush." he muttered, tugging her back toward him. She squeaked when she landed in his lap, this action causing Joe to wake up, his senses alert. "Your Majesty, is everything alright?" he asked, standing quickly and grasping her arms in his hands lightly. Clarisse shook her head and brought her hand up to cover her neck. "Oh, your throat. WOuld you like something to drink?"

She nodded in reply, her eyes falling to the floor. "Were you here al night?" she whispered, grimacing as she did.

"Yes, I did, Your Majesty." he replied just as softly. "Now, lets go get you something to drink." Quickly gathering her robe and helping her slip it on, Joseph led his monarch down to the kitchens for a cup of tea.

Oh, the trials he had been through with her, but this was the worst upon her heart. He prayed to the Heavens that he never aused such pain to befall upon her heart..

**Author's Note: Well...How was that for a first Princess Diaries story? Reviews would be MAGNIFICENT!! Thanks!**

**Branda**


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